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The MLB trade deadline is nearly upon us.

As the clock ticks down to the 6 p.m. ET deadline on Thursday, there are a number of storylines to follow as contending teams attempt to beef up their rosters for the stretch run. What follows is an updated look at all the latest news, rumors, and trades before the deadline passes.

Camilo Doval Heads East as Yankees Add Bullpen Piece

The Yankees didn't make a huge splash at the deadline, but added another key piece before the trade deadline passed. New York acquired Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants before the clock ticked down to 6 p.m. ET. The 28-year-old righty has 107 career saves, and this season is 4-2 with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts against 24 walks in 46 2/3 innings. He also has 15 saves in 19 chances. Doval will be under team control through 2027.

Tigers Add Charlie Morton Before Deadline

The Detroit Tigers had been looking for a starting pitcher for weeks and managed to land one right before the deadline. They acquired Charlie Morton from the Baltimore Orioles a few minutes before the deadline passed. The 41-year-old impending free agent has had an up -and-down season and is 7-8 with a 5.42 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts against 48 walks in 101 1/3 innings. That said, Morton has extensive postseason experience and two World Series rings.

Red Sox Get Dustin May to Bolster Rotation

The Boston Red Sox made a significant move without much time on the clock before the trade deadline on Thursday. They acquired starting pitcher Dustin May from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for James Tibbs III, who the team received from the San Francisco Giants in the Rafael Devers deal. Got all of that?

May has had Tommy John surgery twice since 2021 and missed the 2024 campaign after undergoing surgery to repair an esophageal tear. This season, he has made 19 appearances (18 starts) and is 6-7 with a 4.85 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts in 104 innings. He has elite stuff, but hasn't put it all back together after missing so much time. Before the 2025 season, he had pitched in 20 games in the previous four seasons.

Rays Land Griffin Jax, Adrian Houser With Minutes to Spare

The Tampa Bay Rays made their presence known before the deadline, landing reliever Griffin Jax from the Minnesota Twins and starter Adrian Houser from the Chicago White Sox. Jax is 1-5 with a 4.50 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts against 13 walks in 46 innings over 50 appearances. His xERA of 3.11 shows he's been a bit unlucky this season and he has stellar chase and whiff rates.

Houser has been a great story and has turned in a dominant campaign while transitioning back to being a starter. In 11 starts, he's 6-2 with a 2.10 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts against 22 walks in 68 2/3 innings.

Rangers Get Merrill Kelly in Late Deal With Diamonbacks

The Texas Rangers just upgraded their rotation in a big way. Texas swung a late deal to acquire Merrill Kelly from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Pitchers Kohl Drake and David Hagaman are part of the return for the veteran righty.

In 22 starts this season, Kelly is 9-6 with a 3.22 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts against 38 walks in 128 2/3 innings. He'll almost certainly slot in behind Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi to give Texas a formiddable three-headed monster atop its rotation.

Astros Land Correa, Sanchez in Continued Push

The Houston Astros pulled off a wild move just before the deadline, bringing Carlos Correa back to town. Correa helped lead the Astros to a World Series title in 2017 but has spent the last four seasons in Minnesota with the Twins. This season he's slashing .267/.319/.386 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs. It's not his best season but heading back to Houston could help. It will be a long-term return as he'll be under contract through at least 2028.

Sanchez was having a solid season with the Marlins, slashing .256/.320/.420 with 10 home runs and 36 RBIs. The 27-year-old will be under team control for two more seasons.

Padres Land O'Hearn, Laureano From Orioles

Padres general manager A.J. Preller can't stop, won't stop. After two significant deals already, he added two bats to his lineup shortly before the deadline. San Diego is acquiring outfielder Ramon Laureano and first baseman Ryan O'Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles. Left field has been a huge issue for the Padres, and Laureano will be a massive upgrade. Meanwhile, O'Hearn's spot will depend on what happens to the rest of the roster. The Padres currently have Luis Arraez at first and Gavin Sheets rotating between DH and left field.

Mets Fill CF Vacancy With Cedric Mullins

The Mets continue to address their needs by acting aggressively. Hours before the MLB trade deadline, they added Cedric Mullins from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for three prospects. Mullins is a pure rental but is a former All-Star who desperately needed a change of scenery. So far in 2025, Mullins is slashing .229/.305/.433 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. The Mets have gotten near nothing in offensive production out of their center fielder this season so this is a significant upgrade.

Padres Pay Heavily for a Catcher

The San Diego Padres have needed help at catcher all season and may have found some before the deadline. The Friars landed 30-year-old backup Freddy Fermin from the Kansas City Royals but paid heavily to land him. San Diego sent starting pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek in exchange for Fermin.

In 67 games this season, Fermin is slashing .255/.309/.399 with three home runs and 12 RBIs. He'll be under team control through 2029. The 25-year-old Berger debuted this season and is 1-0 with a 2.78 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP in 11 appearances (seven starts). Kolek was stretched into a starting pitcher this season and has been excellent at times. The 28-year-old is 4-5 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.

Yankees Land Bednar From Pirates

The Yankees added to their bullpen by acquiring All-Star closer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates. New York's bullpen has been struggling lately, and Bednar is having a nice bounce-back season. The 30-year-old is 2-5 with a 2.37 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts against 10 walks in 38 innings over 42 appearances. He has 17 saves in 17 chances. His average fastball velocity (97.1 mph) and strikeout rate (33.1) are outstanding.

Dodgers Bolster Bullpen With Stewart

The Los Angeles Dodgers made their first major move of this year's trade deadline by adding a bullpen arm. L.A. acquired Brock Stewart from the Minnesota Twins, who are fully open for business at this point. Bullpen was arguably the Dodgers' biggest need, and Stewart should help in that regard. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.38 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts in 34 innings this season.

The 33-year-old Stewart began his career with the Dodgers and pitched for the team from 2016 though '19.

Phillies Add Harrison Bader in Deal With Twins

The Philadelphia Phillies continued filling out their roster on Thursday by acquiring outfielder Harrison Bader from the Minnesota Twins just hours before the deadline. This season, Bader is slashing .258/.339/.439, with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs. The veteran outfielder's 117 wRC+ is the highest of his career. He'll likely form a platoon with left-handed hitters Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh. The former Gold Glove winner holds a $10 million mutual option for 2026 that most expect him to decline after what is becoming a career year.

Padres Acquire Mason Miller and JP Spears in Blockbuster With Athletics

The Padres entered the July 31 trade deadline with a 60-49 record on the season, and in firm buying mode sitting just three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. San Diego worked to shore up the back-end of the bullpen, as well as depth in the starting rotation by trading for Athletics closer Mason Miller and starter JP Sears. The price to acquire the two pitchers for the homestretch came at the cost of the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball – shortstop Leodalis De Vries, as well as pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Baez and Eduarniel Nunez.

Blue Jays Land Former Cy Young Winner Shane Bieber in Trade With Guardians

The Toronto Blue Jays are the best team in baseball, and they filled a hole in their playoff rotation with the addition of former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber in a Thursday morning trade with the Cleveland Guardians. Bieber has yet to make his season debut after 2024 Tommy John surgery, but has shown well in his rehab starts thus far. In return, the Guardians landed pitching prospect Khal Stephen in return in the one-to-one swap.

Mariners Stun Baseball World With Trade For Eugenio Suarez

One of MLB's biggest trade targets has officially been dealt ahead of the deadline. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Arizona Diamondbacks have traded third baseman Eugenio Suarez to the Seattle Mariners. Suarez, a two-time All-Star is slashing .248/.321/.577 with 36 home runs and 87 RBIs.

The Mariners needed big upgrades at the corners and got them, both from the Diamondbacks. They landed Josh Naylor on July 24, and Suarez the night before the deadline.

Red Sox Acquire RP Steven Matz From Cardinals

The Boston Red Sox are on the board. After dealing with some slight attrition in the bullpen with an injury to Aroldis Chapman, Boston has acquired relief pitcher Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals. The trade was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Matz began his career with the New York Mets in 2015 before stints with the Toronto Blue Jays ('21) and, most recently, the Cardinals ('22-25). The 34-year-old is 5-2 this season in 32 appearances with a 3.44 ERA, 47 strikeouts, and two saves.

The Red Sox are sending minor leaguer Blaze Jordan to St. Louis in return.

Ramon Urias Heads to Astros

The Baltimore Orioles seem to be selling despite winning five of their last six, sending Ramon Urias to the Houston Astros according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Urias, 31, is slashing .248/.300/.388 this season with eight home runs and 34 RBIs, while also holding a .984 fielding percentage while committing just three errors.

Reds Land Zack Littell in Deal With Rays

The Cincinnati Reds continued to buy on Wednesday night. They worked a trade to land righty Zack Littell from the Tampa Bay Rays. Littell has been solid this season. In 21 starts, he's 8-8 with a 3.72 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts against 17 walks in 128 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the season.

The Reds currently rank 12th as a team in baseball with a 3.85 ERA, and their starters are 10th at 3.86. Adding Littell will help the rotation's depth.

Cubs Bolster Rotation in Trade for Soroka

The Chicago Cubs acquired Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals Wednesday night in a move to bolster their starting rotation. Soroka, a former All-Star who missed most of three seasons following multiple tears to his right Achilles tendon, has struggled to regain his form over the past few years. This season, he has made 16 starts and is 3-8 with a 4.87 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 87 strikeouts against 24 walks in 81 1/3 innings. On the upside, his expected ERA is 3.32, which means he has gotten pretty unlucky.

With Justin Steele out for the season following Tommy John surgery, the Cubs have needed more depth in their rotation. They may have found it in Soroka.

Padres Pursuing Multiple All-Stars

According to a report from The Athletic's Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal, the San Diego Padres are looking to swing big at the deadline and have several big names targeted. The Padres are pursuing outfielders Jarren Duran and Steven Kwan, as well as closer Mason Miller.

The Boston Red Sox have been unwilling to part with Duran so far, and the Cleveland Guardians have let it be known that it would take a haul for them to part with Kwan. The Oakland A's have not been shopping Miller, but given the franchise's situation it would be foolish not to listen.

A.J. Preller is never shy when it comes to big swings at the trade deadline, and this could be yet another year he goes all-in.

Eugenio Suarez Still Being Chased by Multiple Teams

The Athletic's Jon Morosi is reporting multiple teams are still going hard after Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez as the trade deadline approaches. Arguably the most coveted bat on the market, Suarez is still drawing interest from the Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, and Detroit Tigers, among others. The Cubs, in particular, need an upgrade at the position, as entering Wednesday, they had a team OPS of .575 at third base this year.

Suarez will almost certainly move before the trade deadline but where he will go is still a mystery with less than 24 hours to go.

Mets Acquire Ryan Helsley From Cardinals

Just after the Phillies landed Jhoan Duran, the Mets made another move for a reliever. They landed St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley in a blockbuster deal. The 2024 NL Reliever of the Year and two-time All-Star is headed for free agency after the season, so the Cardinals did what they could to get something back for him. On the season, Helsley is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched. He has 21 saves in 26 chances. He is likely to be the setup man for Edwin Diaz.

In exchange for Helsley, the Cardinals will acquire prospects Jesus Baez, Nate Dohm, and Frank Elissalt.

Helsley is the second reliever the Mets have added in the past few hours, as they landed Tyler Rogers from the Giants earlier in the day.

Phillies Trade for Jhoan Duran in Major Upgrade

The Phillies won the race for Jhoan Duran, as they beat out the Dodgers and other suitors in the battle for the best relief arm available at the deadline. Philadelphia's relievers own the 23rd-ranked ERA in baseball (4.33), and they don't have a go-to closer. That problem is now in the past.

In exchange for Duran, the Twins landed the Phillies' No. 4 and No. 6 prospects, catcher Eduardo Tait and righty Mick Abel.

Mariners Beef Up Relief Corps

The Mariners landed lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Pirates on Wednesday. As Pittsburgh continues to sell, Seattle took advantage. The 29-year-old is 2-2 on the season with a 3.74 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts against 14 walks in 43 1/3 innings. Ferguson is having an excellent season as he's allowing very little hard contact. His average exit velocity (83.5), and hard-hit rate (25.2) are among the lowest in baseball.

In return for Ferguson, the Pirates will receive right-hander Jeter Martinez (great early 2000s baseball name). Martinez is a 19-year-old starter currently in A-ball, and is listed as Seattle's No. 13 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Mets Surrender a Ton in Tyler Rogers Trade

The New York Mets landed right-handed reliever Tyler Rogers from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, but it cost them a significant price. They sent righty Jose Butto, righty pitching prospect Blade Tidwell, and outfield prospect Drew Gilbert to land the 34-year-old veteran.

Rogers has been excellent for the Giants this season. In 53 games, he is 4-3 with a 1.80 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts and only four walks in 50 innings. He has allowed just 10 earned runs this season.

Astros Pursuing Cease

The San Diego Padres are open to moving starting pitcher Dylan Cease, and one team has been hot on his heels. The Houston Astros are chasing Cease and appear increasingly likely to land him. Cease has struggled this season, but he has elite stuff that belies his 3-10 record and 4.79 ERA. There is faith that the impending free agent can turn it around, especially given his xFIP of 3.39.

We'll see if a deal eventually comes together.

Eugenio Suarez Sweepstakes Heating Up

Eugenio Suarez remains the most popular hitter at the deadline, with four teams currently chasing him. The Arizona Diamondbacks are actively shopping the impending free agent and will do what they can to maximize the return. The Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies are all chasing Suarez hard as we head toward the deadline. It's worth noting, Seattle and Arizona already completed a swap for Josh Naylor.

The 34-year-old third baseman has been one of baseball's best sluggers this season. He's currently slashing .248/.320/.576 with 36 home runs and 87 RBIs. Suarez was hit on the hand by a pitch Monday night but appears to have escaped serious injury.

Jhoan Duran Chased by Two NL Contenders

The Minnesota Twins appear likely to move closer Jhoan Duran before the deadline, and two teams have separated themselves in the chase for his services. According to 's Bob Nightengale, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies are in active talks to land him. To this point, the Phillies have refused to include top pitching prospect Andrew Painter in an offer.

The 27-year-old Duran is 6–4 with a 2.01 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings. He has saved 16 games in 18 opportunities and is under team control through 2027.

Reds Land Ke'Bryan Hayes From Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in full sell mode, and on Wednesday, they shipped third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds for two prospects. Hayes is one of the best defensive players in baseball and is signed affordably through 2029, with a club option for '30 as part of an eight-year, $70 million deal he agreed to in '22. So far this season, he's slashing .236/.279/.290 with a woeful wRC+ of 57 in 100 games.

The Pirates received shortstop Sammy Stafura, who ranked as the No. 9 prospect in Cincinnati's system, as well as veteran reliever Taylor Rogers.

The batter said last week that he “should be right” for his hometown Test after suffering back spasms in Perth

Andrew McGlashan01-Dec-20257:36

Are England prepared for Brisbane pink-ball challenge?

Usman Khawaja batted for the first time since the Perth Test as looked to prove his fitness for the day-night encounter at the Gabba after the back spasms which curtailed his role in the opening match of the Ashes.Having done some physio and gentle fielding on Sunday, Khawaja was put through his paces by Australia’s medical staff on the outfield, including running and stretching, before batting for 30 minutes during the team’s day-time session on Monday.Khawaja purely faced assistant coach Michael Di Venuto with the sidearm during his half hour in the nets, of which a considerable number of deliveries were short, giving his back a good workout. The session was an optional one for Australia, although all the players were present, and they will have another full session under lights on Tuesday.Speaking last week at an event for his foundation, Khawaja said he “should be right” for his hometown Test and was not requiring further painkillers after initially suffering the back spasms on the opening day at Perth Stadium.Related

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• Bashir, Jacks in frame as England mull taking the pink for a spin

England collapsed so quickly on the first afternoon that Khawaja was unable to open due to the time he’d spent off the field and when he emerged at No. 4 could only make 2 before gloving a short ball from Brydon Carse.On the second day Khawaja took his place at first slip, taking a catch to remove Harry Brook and then spilling a low edge offered by Jamie Smith. His back went into spasm while leaping for another edge provided by Smith, opening the way for Travis Head to make his 123 in Australia’s chase.Khawaja’s form was under scrutiny heading into the series – he is now averaging 31.84 since the end of the 2023 Ashes with one century in 45 innings – and coupled with the way Head threw down the gauntlet as an opener, and his public statements about being keen for the role, it has sparked a debate about whether now is the time to draw an end to Khawaja’s Test career.”I think Usman is a high quality player,” Marnus Labuschagne said. “You look at his record, 85 Tests and what he’s done for Australian cricket, especially since his comeback in 2021. He’s been super consistent; he’s been really the rock [in] the top there. I think there’s been a lot of talk about how many opening partners he’s had over his time.”He’s an amazing player. The way he’s gone about his game, the way he’s gone from a No. 3, 4 and then opened the batting…navigated some tricky scenarios, he’s just been awesome.”But I’m not a selector. I think whatever happens is up to the people above my pay grade and what they deem is the best way for us to win the game and win this series. I think it’s just game by game and you work out what’s your best team.”Ahead of the 2023 Ashes, David Warner laid out his retirement timeline, stating that he wanted to finish at the SCG in early 2024. In the end he made it, providing some useful contributions against England then starting his final series against Pakistan with 164 in Perth.Khawaja has never publicly outlined what his ideal finishing point would be, but the final Ashes Test at the SCG, the ground where he returned with his twin hundreds in the 2020-21 series, has often been thought of as the perfect stepping off point. However, Labuschagne said that what the team needed should be the over-riding factor.”I think the most important thing is the team comes first at any stage,” he said. “I know there’s different times where different people may have done that [picked a finishing point] in the past. But taking nothing away, he’s an amazing player…averaging 45 for Australia all around the world… [But] it’s just what is the best way we win the game and what does that look like, and that’s what’s most important.”Carse played a straight bat when asked who England would prefer to see at the top of the order. “I don’t have to make that decision, so that’s up to the captain and the coach of the Australian side, but whatever we’re presented with we’ll stick to our plans,” he said.”That was a phenomenal knock played by a high-quality player [Head], and if he does open the batting again we’ve got set plans that we’ll look to use, but I don’t think anything changes from a mindset thing. He had an incredible day that afternoon.”Meanwhile, Pat Cummins put in another impressive net session, bowling two spells either side of having a bat, as he continues his path towards returning from his back injury. Cummins is not part of Australia’s 14-man squad for this match with a return in Adelaide appearing the most likely scenario.

Tottenham Hotspur’s unbeaten run across all competitions has now extended to three games across all competitions after Tuesday’s Champions League win over Slavia Prague.

The Lilywhites claimed a superb 3-0 victory in Europe after penalties from Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and an own goal from opposition defender David Zima.

Thomas Frank looks to have finally found a winning formula, as seen in recent weeks, after previously failing to win in any five matches, four of which came in the Premier League.

Some may argue that the Dane is starting to get the best out of his current playing squad, with a period of adaptation evidently needed after his summer appointment.

However, despite the three-goal triumph in North London last night, the manager will no doubt have seen some glaring flaws that will need correcting in the weeks ahead.

Spurs's biggest underperformers against Slavia Prague

After starting each of the last four games on the substitutes bench, winger Wilson Odobert was handed the chance to start from the off against Slavia Prague.

However, the Frenchman struggled to make the desired impact, as seen by his tally of 86% duels lost, leading to his withdrawal in the 76th minute of the clash.

Other figures, such as zero dribbles completed and two big chances missed in the final third, also highlight his lack of positive impact despite Frank’s faith shown in the youngster.

He wasn’t alone in struggling to deliver during the win, with Pedro Porro unable to produce the regular attacking quality the fanbase have become accustomed to in recent years.

The Spaniard only managed to complete one of his five attempted crosses, whilst completing just 66% of the passes he attempted – largely being ineffective when in possession.

He also failed to win any tackles against the Czech side, whilst failing to complete any of his attempted dribbles – showcasing his lack of quality at both ends of the pitch in North London.

Spurs star needs to be dropped after Slavia Prague

Spurs have spent heavily over the last couple of years to try and be competitive in the Premier League and try and compete for titles under Frank in the years ahead.

In the recent summer alone, the Lilywhites hierarchy backed the manager with over £120m worth of funds to make an immediate impact during his first year at the helm.

Xavi Simons was just one of the additions made by the hierarchy during the off-season, but he’s struggled to make an impact across various competitions in recent months.

He went 17 games without a goal until last week, but the Dutch star has started to find his feet – as seen by his tally of two goals in his last two games for the Lilywhites.

The same can’t be said for striker Richarlison, who has constantly struggled for consistency after his own £50m transfer from Everton back in the summer of 2022.

The Brazilian international has been Frank’s starting centre forward for the majority of 2025/26 to date, subsequently managing to net a total of seven goals across all competitions.

Whilst such a tally may seem respectable, he’s often gone missing in major moments this campaign, as seen against Slavia Prague in the meeting on Tuesday.

He was once again handed a start at the top end of the pitch, but he was unable to provide the goods in front of goal and was subsequently replaced in the 68th minute.

Richarlison was only able to register a measly tally of 22 touches, a tally fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who managed 50 – showcasing his lack of impact in North London.

Richarlison – stats against Slavia Prague

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

68

Touches

22

Passes completed

9

Possession lost

7x

Big chances missed

1

Aerials won

50%

Passes into final third

1

Fouls committed

2

Stats via FotMob

He also only managed to complete nine passes and lost possession on seven separate occasions, further highlighting his lack of positive impact during the Champions League clash.

The Brazilian also missed one big chance in front of goal and won just 50% of his aerial battles, often struggling to provide the focal point Frank has massively craved.

As a result of his showing, the striker was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by Football London’s Alasdair Gold, further showcasing his struggles in North London.

After such a showing, Frank must certainly be left with no choice but to drop the forward and hand the likes of Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani the chance to stake their claim for the number nine role.

Richarlison has no doubt been a decent option for Spurs over the last couple of years, but it’s becoming increasingly evident week on week that he’s not at the level needed for success.

Related Frank's new Mbeumo: Paratici set to make Spurs bid to sign "world-class" CF

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to land a new talisman in the upcoming January window.

Posts ByEthan Lamb 3 days ago

Jesse Lingard delivered one of his finest performances in Asia as the former Manchester United star produced a stunning brace and an assist in FC Seoul’s 3-1 victory over Shanghai Port in the AFC Champions League Elite. The 32-year-old dazzled on the continental stage once again, driving his side closer to the knockout rounds as his remarkable late-career revival continues.

• FC Seoul win thanks to Lingard's brace and assist

  FC Seoul earned a crucial AFC Champions League Elite win as Jesse Lingard inspired a superb 3-1 victory away at Chinese champions Shanghai Port, delivering two goals and an assist in a dominant second-half display. Lingard opened the scoring shortly after the break with a precise right-footed strike. Although Shanghai equalised rather quickly through Mateus Vital, Seoul regained control when the former Manchester United star set up Lucas Silva with an excellent cross. The visitors sealed the result when Lingard struck again with a composed first-time finish, capping a commanding performance that lifted Seoul up the eastern standings and brought them a step closer to progression.

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  'Important' AFC Champions League Elite win for FC Seoul

  Lingard emphasised the significance of the win and praised the collective execution of FC Seoul’s tactical approach. "It’s important. Any Champions League game, we know it's going to be a big game on the big stage," he said after the match. "We had a different game plan and it worked, the manager stuck to the game plan, the players stuck to the game plan and we got the win in the end."

• Lingard enjoying life in South Korea

  Lingard’s latest display comes just days after he reached a major personal milestone in FC Seoul colours, scoring his 10th league goal of the K League season in the defeat to Gimcheon Sangmu – the first time in his entire career he has hit double digits in a regular league campaign. His revival in South Korea has been one of the most unexpected career renaissances in recent years, considering he arrived in the K League after nearly eight months without a club and endured a difficult start marked by fitness issues and heavy criticism.

  Lingard’s contributions against Shanghai only underline his evolution into Seoul’s heartbeat. Having already scored in the previous league match, he carried that momentum into Asia’s biggest club competition and controlled the game with maturity.

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  Lingard's journey from Man Utd to Asia

  Lingard's journey is the ultimate unexpected career pivot. He was a golden boy of Manchester United, scoring famous goals and dancing for England, but after leaving Old Trafford in 2022, he entered a brutal period of rejection and stalled ambition. After eight months adrift without a club, he took a leap of faith, signing for FC Seoul in early 2024.

  His start was disastrous as he was unfit and criticised publicly by his manager, while he was then sidelined by a meniscus problem. But that injury became his turning point. Lingard returned sharper and fully committed, earning the trust of his teammates and eventually being named temporary captain, which was a rare honour for a foreigner. His presence sparked a frenzy, with attendance and shirt sales skyrocketing.

Leeds United have to win their next Premier League clash away at Nottingham Forest otherwise the Whites will be plunged even deeper into relegation trouble.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s men now sit precariously above the drop zone after a pitiful 3-0 loss at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, with the five-point gap between themselves and Forest shaved to just two points if Sean Dyche’s side gets the better of the West Yorkshire outfit.

To further pile on the worry, Dyche also has six career wins under his belt as a manager when facing the Whites, with Leeds also winless – and goalless – on the road since a 3-1 success against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Farke will need to see an immediate reaction from this devastating defeat on the South Coast, with several of his summer recruits potentially being dropped, despite many making positive starts, away from the loss at the Amex.

Why Leeds' summer business must be questioned

Across the ranks, not a single player could trudge off at the end of the 3-0 loss to Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls, satisfied with their efforts.

Not even their marquee signing, Noah Okafor, is immune to criticism.

The tricky number 19 did try his best to unlock a stern home side with five successful dribbles. But, former Leeds player Jon Newsome has harshly called the ex-AC Milan winger a “passenger” for how easily he can give up the ball, and that was the case, again, versus Hurzeler’s hosts when ceding possession a costly 19 times.

Moreover, Dominic Calvert-Lewin could also find himself dropped up top after another goalless showing passed him by, with just one goal still next to his name since leaving Everton behind in the summer. He arguably has to be the most questionable signing of the summer, even if he did arrive on a free transfer.

Central defender Jaka Bijol might also be made to sit out after a two-game stint in the first team, with Pascal Struijk perhaps the most logical replacement, as the £15m summer recruit failed to win a single tackle, and just one duel, as Brighton ran the hopeless away side ragged all afternoon.

Despite the hosts’ blistering nature, Bijol and the rest of the backline did make it very straightforward for Diego Gomez to kickstart his brace, when he was left in acres of room to tap home his first effort of the day for 2-0.

Farke really could ring the changes for the crunch tie at Forest, therefore, with one summer signing also at risk of being cut from the German’s starting XI.

The bold selection Farke could make

It hasn’t been exclusively doom and gloom all season long in West Yorkshire, with some positive performances potentially standing Farke and Co. in good stead to beat the drop.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The aforementioned 3-1 away win at Wolves, in particular, saw everything click as new signings Anton Stach, Calvert-Lewin, and Okafor were all amongst the goals.

Gabriel Gudmundsson also put in a sterling effort against the now managerless Old Gold after joining from Lille in July.

Indeed, Leeds-based social media account The Leeds Press hailed the Swede as an asset that “gives everything” after the Wolves win, as seen in him registering eight clearances and winning three duels to keep the Molineux hosts at bay.

With 3.5 ball recoveries also averaged across his ten Premier League games, on top of two big chances being created, it felt as if Leeds had hit the jackpot on a perfect Junior Firpo replacement on the left flank.

Journalist James Marshment even boldly stated in late September that he has been “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League this season”. At just £10m, he had certainly proved himself to be a bargain.

Unfortunately for the Sweden regular, though, he put in a horror-show performance on the South Coast, as a rapid Yankuba Minteh turned him inside out all match.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

72

Accurate passes

35/42 (83%)

Possession lost

16x

Dribbled past

2x

Tackles won

1/2

Total duels won

7/12

The strong and resilient full-back that had bounced back from his own-goal at Fulham in style was nowhere to be seen against the Seagulls.

He was dribbled past twice as a weak member of Farke’s defence, on top of also falling victim to an Okafor-like display, with possession given up 16 times.

James Justin could well get the nod to come in for Gudmundsson at the City Ground, therefore.

It is unlikely to be the only alteration, as Farke attempts to pick a refreshed side that can halt Leeds’ shambolic offerings on the road.

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Reigan Heskey, the son of former Liverpool and England legend Emile, has overtaken Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho with his goals at the Under-17 World Cup. England secured their spot in the last 32 in Qatar as they finished second to Venezuela in Group E. The Young Lions then eased into the last 16 of the tournament as they got the better of South Korea on Saturday.

England overcome early scare to reach last 16

England endured an early scare as Dante Headley was bundled off the ball by Kim Ji-sung, who rifled his effort into the roof of the net. However, referee Abdou Abdel Mefire spared the Young Lions' early blushes as he blew for a foul in Headley's favour.

Liam Bramley's side went ahead midway through the first half as Seth Ridgeon's pass was inadvertently turned into the South Korea net through Jung Hui-seop. The game as a contest was settled 10 minutes before the break as Heskey doubled the Young Lions' advantage after heading Bradley Burrowes' cross past Park Do-hun.

The Young Lions had a few chances to extend their lead but were comfortable as they progressed to the next round of the U17 World Cup, where they will face Austria on Tuesday.

AdvertisementGettyHeskey in the running for Golden Boot

Heskey's header against South Korea on Saturday was his fourth goal of the tournament. The 17-year-old scored an early penalty in a resounding 8-1 win over Haiti last week before bagging a brace in a 3-0 victory against Egypt as England followed up their opening Group E 3-0 defeat to Venezuela in fine fashion.

Heskey is now tied with four more players in the race for the competition's Golden Boot, with Samuele Inacio, Vit Skrkon, Rene Mitongo, and Kim Yu-jin also locked on four goals. However, the quintet are behind Portugal forward Anisio Cabral in the race for the individual award.

Cabral moved ahead of the chasing pack with a vital brace in Portugal's 2-1 win over Belgium, a result that set up a last-16 meeting with Mexico, who themselves progressed to the next round with a 5-4 penalty shootout triumph over Argentina.

Foden and Sancho were key in 2017 triumph

Heskey's goal against South Korea means he has overtaken the tallies of two former Manchester City graduates from eight years ago. Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho each struck three times in India as England ultimately came from behind to beat Spain 5-2 in the U17 World Cup final back in 2017.

However, Heskey has some way to at least match Rhian Brewster's eight-goal haul in 2017. Brewster came in clutch for England as he bagged a hat-trick in the quarter-final win over USA and again in the semi-finals as the Young Lions got the better of Brazil in the semi-finals.

The 25-year-old also bagged a decisive goal in the final win over Spain, halving the deficit shortly before half time after Sergi Gomez had netted a first half brace. Morgan Gibbs-White, Foden – twice – and Marc Guehi then completed a second half comeback in a resounding victory.

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Getty Images Sport'Where do we look now?'

Heskey's father, Emile, will hope his son can continue his upward trajectory as England look to the future to determine who their next main striker will be. Harry Kane is currently the leading light for the national team, but at 32 years of age, the Three Lions need to start future-proofing their frontline.

Reigan was promoted to the City U21s ahead of the season having struck 18 goals and provided seven assists in 19 Under-18 Premier League appearances last season. However, Emile is concerned about England's future striker options, particularly as head coach Thomas Tuchel overlooked a backup forward for Kane for the November internationals with Foden used as a false nine off the bench against Serbia on Thursday night.

"We've been lucky over the years we could see where the next strikers were coming," the elder Heskey said on recently. "We had a chain of players who could go from that next level, I came in after [Alan] Shearer and Rooney came after me, but where do we look now? We always had that chain but we are struggling to find [the next one] now."

England play their final World Cup qualifier on Sunday evening as they take on Albania. Tuchel's side have already booked their spot at the 2026 showpiece and will look to round off qualification with a 100% record, and without conceding a goal having kept seven successive clean sheets.

Pep Guardiola remains coy, but the plain truth is that Manchester City have closed ground on Premier League table-toppers Arsenal ahead of the Christmas period, and Sky Blue supporters know they would be wise to buckle in.

But then, another truth would be that this is simply not Pep’s strongest City squad. That said, there is enough quality within the Etihad Stadium to challenge for and potentially win the league title, especially with Erling Haaland in such impudent goalscoring form.

However, Haaland can’t do it alone all year long, with the list of the club’s top scorers underscoring the need for more firepower.

Erling Haaland

20

20

Phil Foden

19

9

Jeremy Doku

21

3

Rayan Cherki

14

3

Josko Gvardiol

16

2

Ruben Dias

20

2

Tijjani Reijnders

21

2

Phil Foden is going from strength to strength, and that could be a defining factor in City’s revival, but it’s understandable that Guardiola and the board are hoping to sign a new wide forward.

City's winter transfer plans

Haaland continues to defy expectations. Even his soaring expectations. But there’s no question that Guardiola’s side could pack a few more angles into their punches, and that’s something that may need to be fixed in January if the Premier League title is to return to the blue side of Manchester.

Given that the Norwegian goal machine is fixed into his starting berth at number nine, perhaps a goalscoring wideman could be what Pep needs.

According to TEAMtalk, Man City still have a strong interest in signing Antoine Semenyo despite Liverpool’s ostensible lead in the race. All the pointers suggest the 26-year-old is inching toward an exit from Bournemouth in 2026.

Semenyo has been one of the standout players in the Premier League this season, and with his £65m release clause switching on in January, City will need to pounce quickly to beat off the thick competition for his signature.

Why Pep wants to sign Semenyo

Most of the noise surrounding Semenyo and his future centres around struggling Premier League champions Liverpool, but City know they have it in their power to convince him to join their project.

A big-game player and with six goals and three assists to his name in the English top flight this term, Semenyo is riding the crest of a wave, with a skillset that looks perfect for a team fighting at the top.

His potency and pace could lead him to rival Jeremy Doku as City’s new version of Leroy Sane, who is fondly remembered to this day for his exploits in Manchester.

But, more accurately, Semenyo could actually emerge as Pep’s own version of Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool attacker.

Liverpool analyst Josh Williams has actually suggested that the Ghana international is “the closest you’ll find to peak Mane right now” , and given the terrorising of Premier League defences – including City’s – that the Senegalese winger used to inflict, Pep could do a lot worse than add a new version to his ranks.

Looking at the former Liverpool man during the 2021/22 campaign, leading to a second-place finish at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, in comparison to Semenyo this season, you can perhaps see why such a claim was made, with the Cherries star boasting a completeness that few can claim they have within their locker.

Matches (starts)

34 (32)

14 (14)

Goals

16

6

Assists

2

3

Shots (on target)*

2.9 (1.1)

2.4 (1.4)

Big chances missed

13

5

Accurate passes

23.6 (77%)

19.8 (78%)

Chances created*

1.3

1.3

Succ. dribbles*

1.4

1.6

Tackles*

1.0

1.7

Duels won*

4.7

6.5

Both players are combative and dynamic and deadly in the final third, and while Semenyo has the pace and athleticism to rekindle memories of a star like Sane, it is the one-time Liverpool icon, who he bears a more striking tactical likeness.

Two-footed and able to play across both wings, Semenyo is the real deal, and though Bournemouth are struggling for form at this moment in time, he remains a beaming beacon for Andoni Iraola in the final third, having been named the “best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle for his efforts this season.

How City could do with a fleet-footed winger in their mix like Sane right now, someone to contrast with the electric Jeremy Doku.

Semenyo, with all his hustle and bustle, could be the perfect man for the title-chasing task at hand.

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New Zealand swept West Indies 3-0 and fortified their command at home – they have lost just two ODIs at home since the start of 2020

Deivarayan Muthu22-Nov-2025

Mark Chapman made a half-century•Getty Images

New Zealand’s four-man pace attack tore through West Indies’ fragile batting line-up with swing, pace and bounce, dismissing the visitors for 161 in the third ODI in Hamilton. Having already wrapped up the series, New Zealand swept West Indies 3-0 and fortified their command at home – they have lost just two ODIs at home since the start of 2020.Only South Africa (17) have achieved more consecutive bilateral series wins than New Zealand’s 11 at home in men’s ODIs.In the absence of the injured Daryl Mitchell, the current No.1-ranked ODI batter, New Zealand were made to work hard in their chase. They lost their top three within 11 overs, and then Tom Latham also fell cheaply, but Mark Chapman settled New Zealand along with Michael Bracewell. He crashed 64 off 63 balls, countering both Matthew Forde and Jayden Seales, who had posed a bigger threat with the new ball, and putting New Zealand back on the road to another win.Michael Bracewell also flexed his muscle at the other end in a 75-run partnership for the fifth wicket off only 48 balls. Their presence kept left-arm fingerspinner Khary Pierre, who had replaced the injured Romario Shepherd, away from the attack. Pierre didn’t bowl at all and ended up playing as a specialist fielder during West Indies’ defence.Chapman and captain Mitchell Santner holed out when New Zealand were on the doorstep of victory, but Bracewell and Zak Foulkes took them home with four wickets and almost 20 overs to spare.After opting to bat first, West Indies had left almost 14 overs unused in their innings. Matt Henry was the wrecker-in-chief, coming away with 4 for 43 while Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy and Foulkes, who had replaced the injured Nathan Smith (hamstring issue), shared four among them. In the absence of Shepherd, who was out with a hamstring niggle of his own, West Indies’ batting lacked depth.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

It was Henry who started West Indies’ slide in the powerplay when he removed rookie opener Ackeem Auguste and Keacy Carty in the fifth over. Auguste, 22, squandered another start when he flapped a hard-length delivery to mid-on for 17 off 19 balls. Henry then shifted to a Test-match line and length to have an indecisive Carty chopping on for a duck.The Seddon Park conditions didn’t offer prodigious swing or seam movement, but there was enough to keep Henry and Jamieson interested. Jamieson went around the wicket and found movement and extra bounce to have John Campbell, the other opener, nicking off to slip for 26 off 24 balls. Apart from Campbell, Roston Chase was the only other West Indies batter to pass 25.Shai Hope, the best batter in this West Indies ODI side, had a decent start, but his innings was cut short on 16 when Foulkes had him caught by the keeper down the leg side off an inswinger. West Indies slumped to 77 for 4 at that point.Only the early juice disappeared, New Zealand’s quicks relentlessly banged the ball into the pitch and discomfited West Indies’ batters. Henry, Jamieson and Duffy all showed their creativity and range by bowling cross-seamers and scrambled-seam deliveries into the pitch.Sherfane Rutherford, Chase and Shamar Springer all were bounced out and at one stage, Santner had even installed Rachin Ravindra at short leg. Neil Wagner, who was in the commentary box, might have had memories of his own short-ball bursts.Shai Hope throws his head back in disappointment after being strangled down the leg side•Getty Images

Chase needed some treatment and taping on his hand after Jamieson smacked him on his glove with a lifter in the 30th over. After Jamieson had softened Chase up, Henry made the incision in the next over when he had the batter top-edging a catch to extra-cover.Pierre and Seales showed some semblance of resistance with an 18-run stand for the last wicket before Henry broke through and applied the finishing touches.Santner had also done his bit with the ball, picking up the wickets of Justin Greaves and Forde in his first over to hasten West Indies’ collapse.West Indies then hit back through Forde and Seales with the ball. Seales dared Devon Conway to hook and had him caught at long leg before prolonging Will Young’s lean run. Forde, who has troubled left-handers with his sharp angle from around the wicket and swing throughout this tour, had Ravinda chopping on for 14. When Chase had Latham caught at midwicket, New Zealand appeared vulnerable at 70 for 4, especially in the absence of Mitchell, but the left-handed duo of Chapman and Bracewell saved the day for them.Chapman had a slow start – he was on 13 off 29 balls at one point – but turned up the tempo to reach his fifty off 58. He took Forde for 4,6,4,4 in the 27th over and ruined his figures. Bracewell remained unbeaten to seal the deal along with Foulkes.

Australia have been inconsistent in ODIs since the last World Cup and are missing some key players for this series

Tristan Lavalette18-Oct-2025Garbed in Australia’s bright new yellow ODI kit, as he leads the team on their first steps towards a title defence at the 2027 World Cup in the absence of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh could not avoid a question he has started to be increasingly asked.Given his outstanding form in white-ball cricket, and injury concerns mounting for the Australia Test team, is Marsh starting to think about the possibility of an unlikely Ashes call-up?”I’ve got tickets to day one and two. Haven’t asked the wife yet, so that’s about as much thought as I’ve given it,” a smirking Marsh said to reporters in his trademark style of completely playing down his chances of resurrecting a Test career that looked over after he was dropped last summer.Related

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While it was a humorous way to end the press conference on the eve of Australia’s three-match ODI series against India, it did underline that the Ashes is hovering over basically everything in Australian cricket right now.It has overshadowed the build-up of this series, no mean feat given India’s heft in the sport. While these ODIs and T20Is against India are widely viewed as the entrée ahead of the Ashes, they do have longer-term implications given that there are World Cups in each format over the next couple of years.We’re at the halfway mark in the ODI World Cup cycle, meaning it’s time for teams to start strategising. Australia are in transition in the 50-over format, with several unknowns over their batting order after the retirements of Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.Australia’s batting-order has been weakened further with Josh Inglis, Alex Carey and Cameron Green not playing in the first ODI in Perth. While Carey is currently on Shield duties, Inglis is on the sidelines due a nagging calf injury and Green has been pulled out of the series after suffering a side strain.The developments, of course, have Ashes implications. “He’s okay, it’s on the very, very minor end. It’s a cautious take on it but he’s all good,” Marsh said of his WA team-mate Green.This series is an important opportunity for Matt Short after a run of injuries•AFP/Getty Images

It does mean Australia have an opportunity to experiment with batter Matt Renshaw and batting allrounder Mitchell Owen set to make their ODI debuts, while Josh Philippe will take the gloves and play his first ODI in more than four years.After his recent hot run of form at the domestic level, Marnus Labuschagne has been recalled as Green’s replacement but won’t play in the first ODI even though he is making the long journey to Perth to link up with the group.”Across the board in our white-ball teams over the last 12 month, we’ve seen a lot of guys get opportunities, so it always brings excitement to those guys,” Marsh said. “We just have to be really clear on their role and they will enjoy playing cricket for Australia.”A golden opportunity is likely to be presented to Matt Short, who has been on the verge of Australia’s white-ball sides but inconsistencies and, of late, injuries have proven hurdles.Short has thrived at the top of the order in domestic white-ball cricket, but will likely have to settle at No. 3 with Marsh and Head having established such a dynamic opening partnership.”We know he opens for Victoria and Strikers and in T20 cricket around the world,” Marsh said of Short, who has opened the batting in 11 of his 13 ODI innings. “But we see no difference opening the batting and No.3. We’re comfortable with him batting there.”After missing the South Africa series with concussion, Mitch Owen will get a chance in ODIs•AFP/Getty Images

Australia’s form has been patchy since their 2023 World Cup triumph, having most recently lost to South Africa 2-1 in northern Queensland in August, a time of year where little attention is on cricket.There will be considerably more spotlight on this India series and it feels very much like Australia will now start ramping things up in cricket’s middle format.Australia will face a tough test against top-ranked India, similarly in transition under new captain Shubman Gill but still boasting Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.”Had the privilege of playing against them quite a lot over the journey,” Marsh said of Kohli and Rohit. “They’re obviously legends of the game, Virat is the greatest chaser ever in this format. I think you can see by the ticket sales that a lot of people want to come and watch them.”More than 50,000 fans are expected at Optus Stadium, a nod to the pulling power of India but also indicative of Ashes fever in the air in a city that will host the first Test in just five weeks.”To see the stadium packed out against India, it’s going to be a great experience for our group,” Marsh said. “I believe it’s going to be a high scoring affair, but getting through the first 10 overs for both teams will be a challenge and maybe where the game’s won and lost.”

Kate Cross has revealed that she is “struggling to get [her] head around” her “savage” omission from England’s squad for the 50-over World Cup in India.Cross, 33, has been a regular in England’s ODI side since the last World Cup and took her 100th career wicket in the format earlier this summer. But she was dropped during their series against India last month and was left out of the squad altogether on Thursday as a result of England’s decision to pick an extra spinner for subcontinent conditions.”It’s hard to take, because I don’t feel like I’ve done enough to deserve not being on that plane,” Cross said on , her podcast with Alex Hartley. “Everyone that is a current player who doesn’t get selected is going to disagree with selections and going to think that they should be there.Related

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“But what I’m really struggling to get my head around is it all feels like it’s happened so quickly that I’ve just clearly fallen out of favour with Lot [England coach Charlotte Edwards]. That’s a hard bit to get my head [around]. If I’d had 14-18 months of being pretty average at cricket and not performing in an England shirt, then I think I’d understand it a bit more.”I guess to an extent I have, because I didn’t have the best summer in an England shirt and I had a really tough winter and missed out a lot through the back injury. But I think leading into that, I definitely didn’t feel like I wouldn’t be on the plane. Being in the best XI [is] a different conversation, but [not even] being on the plane… It feels savage.”Cross was first left out by Edwards for a rain-reduced game against India at Lord’s – she is not involved in England’s T20I set-up – and did not regain her place for the series finale in Durham. “There’s so much for me to get my head around, and I haven’t processed it,” she said. “It’s still really raw.”England have only picked three frontline seamers for the World Cup in Em Arlott, Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer, with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt on track to recover from injury in time to offer another option.”It’s what you sign up for,” Cross said. “You don’t get to have those amazing highs without having these real lows, but it doesn’t make the lows any easier knowing that they’re going to be there. I probably had a good indication that I wasn’t going to be in this, or it would be tough to come back from being dropped in that last game… But it doesn’t make it any easier.”